1 / 36

The Renewal Lab

The Renewal Lab. Introduction…Keith Doornbos Lead Pastor Providence CRC, Holland, MI Coordinator of the Renewal Lab through CTS. Providence Church Holland, MI. The Providence Experience Five Things We Kept Alive Kept hope alive Kept vision alive Kept renewal alive

troy-contreras
Download Presentation

The Renewal Lab

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. The Renewal Lab • Introduction…Keith Doornbos • Lead Pastor Providence CRC, Holland, MI • Coordinator of the Renewal Lab through CTS

  2. Providence Church Holland, MI • The Providence Experience • Five Things We Kept Alive • Kept hope alive • Kept vision alive • Kept renewal alive • Kept discipleship alive • Kept worship alive

  3. The importance of revitalization in North American churches

  4. North American Statistics • Of the 350,000 churches in America • 80% have plateaued or are in decline • 15% are growing by transfer • Only 5% are growing by conversion • Each year... • Between 3500 & 4000 churches close in U.S. • Only 1,100 to 1,500 are started • Lose 72 churches each week & gain 24 • (The Barna Group)

  5. Importance of renewal in the CRCNA • Of 845 churches in CRCNA that existed a decade ago • 533 are plateaued or in decline (63%) • The average rate of decline has been 25.4%. • Membership in CRCNA is lowest since 1963 (248,000) • Article 17s (separations) have increased 580% from the ‘90s to the ‘00s (from 25 to 146) and Article 14s (resignations) have tripled (from 11 to 30) • Source: THE CHRISTIAN COURIER • Feb. 24, 2014 • Peter Schuurman

  6. A Constant Need for Renewal • 1st missionary journey (Acts 13) • Church planting • 2nd missionary journey (Acts 15) • Church planting & revitalization • Acts 15:36 (return) & Acts 15:41(strengthening) • 3rd missionary journey (Acts 18) • Returned to many of the same churches “strengthening all the disciples”

  7. A Simple Reality… • Either a church is • on a constant path of renewal • or • it is on a sure path of decline.

  8. The Renewal Lab The Church Renewal Learning Laboratory of the Institute for Global Church Planting and Renewal at Calvin Theological Seminary

  9. The Renewal Lab’s Focus The Renewal Lab comes along side congregations that have plateaued or are in decline along with any congregation seeking to regain a focus on their Missional calling.

  10. The Renewal Lab’s Purpose The Renewal Lab seeks to develop intentional congregations that make more and better disciples who join Christ on mission to the world he loves.

  11. The Renewal Lab’s Desired Outcomes • Help identify the mission & unique vision • Give tools for making more and better disciples • Establish the priorities of the early church • Gain insight into mission-oriented ministry • Nurture a passion for global church planting • Regularly “add those who are being saved”

  12. The “Why” of Renewal • A deep desire for God’s glory

  13. The “Why” of Renewal • A deep desire for God’s glory • A deep desire to unleash the Gospel’s power (saving souls/transforming lives)

  14. The “Why” of Renewal • A deep desire for God’s glory • A deep desire to unleash the Gospel’s power (saving souls/transforming lives) • A deep desire for a church to reach its full redemptive potential

  15. The “Why” of Renewal • A deep desire for God’s glory • A deep desire to unleash the Gospel’s power (saving souls/transforming lives) • A deep desire for a church to reach its full redemptive potential • A deep desire to be on the mission of God

  16. God’s Mission… • To redeem & • restore the world • (everyone and everything)

  17. The Renewal Lab is a Missional Move The Renewal Lab seeks to create vibrant mission-focused faith communities that are pulsating epicenters of God’s redemptive love.

  18. The Renewal Lab continues • with a “how” “Change the Atmosphere…Journey to Mission” (Culture + Strategy)

  19. 3 central questions of the Renewal Lab: • Who are we? • Where are we headed? • How will be get there?

  20. The importance of… • working backwards from our future • We tend to work forward from our past • past future • Disadvantages • Slow incremental growth • Repeating the past with minor modifications • Cannot keep up with change in culture • Leads to “we’ve always done it this way • Church of the ‘50’s in ‘10’s

  21. The importance of… • working backwards from our future • New: working backward from our future • present future • Advantages • Driven by vision not just by history • Creates real and significant change • Keeps pace with culture • Leads to “whatever is best”

  22. The Heart of the Renewal Lab 1 GOAL Missional

  23. Brief definition of “Missional” • Missional means • living for the glory of God and • for the sake of others • so they experience God’s new creation and • join with his worshipping community.

  24. The Heart of the Renewal Lab 4 ESSENTIALS 1 GOAL Missional Abiding Vision Leadership Health

  25. The Heart of the Renewal Lab SEVERAL KEY ACTIVITIES 4 ESSENTIALS 1 GOAL Missional Abiding Vision Leadership Health Listen…Imagine…Do

  26. Listening for Renewal fromABOVE (What is God saying in his Word about our mission and calling?) LISTEN fromOUTSIDE (What are our neighbors saying about needs & opportunities) fromAMONG (What is our congregation saying about gifts & passions ) fromWITHIN (What is the Holy Spirit saying about what we are to uniquely do?) FOUR DIRECTIONAL LISTENING

  27. ListenDo {First six months} {Final year} Imagine {Second six months} The great pivot point

  28. THE VISION PYRAMID Annual SMART goals • Specific • Measurable • Assignable • Realistic • Time-bound Our OBJECTIVES Our VALUES God’s VISION for our church God’s MISSION in the world

  29. The Renewal Lab’s Structure • Two-year renewal journey • Cohorts of 10-12 churches • 8 quarterly learning labs • Coaching • Peer learning • Congregational involvement • Accountability • Interns & Jubilee Fellows (optional)

  30. Change the Atmosphere Journey to Mission One Goal “Missional” Living for the glory of God and for the sake of others so they experience God’s new creation and join with His Worshipping Community Characteristics of Missional Church  Kingdom  Church Centrifugal and Centripetal A Light to the Nations A church the unchurched love to attend Four Essentials Abiding John 15 Vision Acts 26:19 Leadership Nehemiah 2 Health Acts 15:28-29 Key Activities Listen 6 months S.W.O.T. Imagine 6 months S.M.A.R.T. Do 12 months R.E.A.C.H.

  31. Why the Olive Tree Symbol? • Olive trees still bear fruit in old age • Olive trees can be cut to a stump and still create new shoots • Olives produce oil that represent the anointing of the Holy Spirit • Olive trees are often symbolic of God’s redemptive work among his people

  32. The gift of the renewal journey = Hope + Purpose

  33. Testimonials: West Olive “What a difference a year makes…” (Matt Stob…Classical Visitor) Immanuel “God is using the Renewal Lab as the single most influential planning process in our church’s history.” (Bob Huiseman…pastor) Fairway “The Renewal Lab is an invitation to return to God’s vision for the church and see the glorious things he does in the lives of those who don’t know him.” (David Den Haan…pastor) Three Rivers “Seeing the Lord use the Renewal Lab to transform lives has been amazing.” (Tim Raakman…pastor)

  34. “Behold, I make all things new” Revelations 21:5

  35. Next Step: Possibility #1: Participate as a congregation • Join a cohort of 6-10 churches that will launch in the Spring/Summer 2015 in Northern, NJ • Quarterly learning labs with pastors on Thursday-Friday and a team retreat on Saturday Possibility #2: Participate as a classis • Go big and jump in as an entire classis • Classis helps fund the RL and encourages as many churches as possible to join the process Possibility #3: Participate as an individual • Come to Grand Rapids and sit in on a session of one of our next Renewal Labs

More Related